In the modern world, it is more important than ever before to be a good listener. If your active listening skills aren’t where they should be, you could be sabotaging your career, relationships, and overall happiness. Learning to be a good listener will take some time and effort, but it’s worth it in the end.
Being a good listener is about so much more than being able to simply hear. If you need help with hearing, a visit to HearCanada can help; but for now, we will focus on building our skills. Listening will teach you how to be more empathetic, read non-verbal cues, and improve your overall social skills.
Being a good listener takes years of continual practice. While it’s not something that you can develop overnight, there are a few things that you can do right now to get started. Let’s take a closer look at a few things you can do right now to improve your listening skills instantly.
Put Down the Phone
The greatest barricade to being a good listener is a distraction. Smartphones and other online devices have become the most distracting things in our daily lives. When you want to give someone your attention, put your phone down. If you can’t set it down, put it in your pocket, turn off the notifications, or power it down so that your notifications, emails, and calls will not distract you from your audience. This is especially important to enable your confidant to feel like you are making them a priority.
Retire to a Quiet Space
When someone asks for your attention or to speak to you in confidence, it’s best to move the conversation to an area with more privacy and quiet. Having a meaningful conversation when surrounded by noise can be incredibly difficult. When you retire to a quiet space, your confidant will know that you are interested in hearing them clearly and giving them your full attention. Moving to a quiet space can also eliminate some misunderstandings.
Limit Your Responses
People who are constantly calculating a response to a conversation tend to be poor listeners. When giving your attention, it is your job to hear what is being said, not to construct a response in your head. To improve your listening skills, try to limit your responses to what is being said. Unless someone asks for an opinion or a direct answer to a question, it’s best to let them speak until their point is delivered.
Repeat Back Details
When actively listening, it’s best to clarify a few times during the conversation. You can repeat back to your confidant important details to clarify and regroup. Not only will this help you to understand clearly what is being said, but it shows the person with whom you are speaking that you are hearing them and processing the details.
Resist Sharing Comparisons
When someone comes to you for a conversation, it’s best to keep the focus on them for the moment. While we all have experiences to share, it’s not in their best interest for you to share your comparison stories. Your confidant is looking for solutions, not one-up-you stories that are irrelevant. If you have had a similar experience, instead of sharing the details, try using your experience to share your empathy for what they are going through.
Follow these simple tips if you want to become a better listener in your life instantly.
Guest Author Bio
Pat Lee
Pat Lee was born in January 1992. Today, she is a digital marketer who has several years of experience in working with non-profit organizations. She has extensive knowledge in the fields of Education, Computer Science, and Psychology. When she isn’t helping build brands, she practices Muay Thai and runs marathons.
Being a good listener is about so much more than being able to simply hear. If you need help with hearing, a visit to HearCanada can help; but for now, we will focus on building our skills. Listening will teach you how to be more empathetic, read non-verbal cues, and improve your overall social skills.
Being a good listener takes years of continual practice. While it’s not something that you can develop overnight, there are a few things that you can do right now to get started. Let’s take a closer look at a few things you can do right now to improve your listening skills instantly.
Put Down the Phone
The greatest barricade to being a good listener is a distraction. Smartphones and other online devices have become the most distracting things in our daily lives. When you want to give someone your attention, put your phone down. If you can’t set it down, put it in your pocket, turn off the notifications, or power it down so that your notifications, emails, and calls will not distract you from your audience. This is especially important to enable your confidant to feel like you are making them a priority.
Retire to a Quiet Space
When someone asks for your attention or to speak to you in confidence, it’s best to move the conversation to an area with more privacy and quiet. Having a meaningful conversation when surrounded by noise can be incredibly difficult. When you retire to a quiet space, your confidant will know that you are interested in hearing them clearly and giving them your full attention. Moving to a quiet space can also eliminate some misunderstandings.
Limit Your Responses
People who are constantly calculating a response to a conversation tend to be poor listeners. When giving your attention, it is your job to hear what is being said, not to construct a response in your head. To improve your listening skills, try to limit your responses to what is being said. Unless someone asks for an opinion or a direct answer to a question, it’s best to let them speak until their point is delivered.
Repeat Back Details
When actively listening, it’s best to clarify a few times during the conversation. You can repeat back to your confidant important details to clarify and regroup. Not only will this help you to understand clearly what is being said, but it shows the person with whom you are speaking that you are hearing them and processing the details.
Resist Sharing Comparisons
When someone comes to you for a conversation, it’s best to keep the focus on them for the moment. While we all have experiences to share, it’s not in their best interest for you to share your comparison stories. Your confidant is looking for solutions, not one-up-you stories that are irrelevant. If you have had a similar experience, instead of sharing the details, try using your experience to share your empathy for what they are going through.
Follow these simple tips if you want to become a better listener in your life instantly.
Guest Author Bio
Pat Lee
Pat Lee was born in January 1992. Today, she is a digital marketer who has several years of experience in working with non-profit organizations. She has extensive knowledge in the fields of Education, Computer Science, and Psychology. When she isn’t helping build brands, she practices Muay Thai and runs marathons.